East Village Deli To Close After 21 Years: Report

EAST VILLAGE, NY — A longstanding Polish deli in the East Village will shut its doors at the end of the month, Eater reports.

Polish G.I. Delicatessen, located at 109 First Avenue, will close at the end of the month, co-owner David Iwuc tells Eater. The shop selling Polish groceries and foods was once commonplace in the East Village, before its colleagues were gradually priced out of the neighborhood. New York Magazine's food listing remembers the store as a "disappearing breed."

Polish G. I. Delicatessen is among a disappearing breed of Eastern European specialty-food stores that were once common in the East Village. The initials stand for its sunny owner, Grace Iwuc, who has steadfastly provisioned loyal locals since 1996.

It's unclear why the shop is closing down; Iwuc declined to tell Eater why the decision was made, and said that the shop might reopen in a different location in the future. (Want more local news? Subscribe here for free breaking news alerts, features and neighborhood updates from Patch.)

Many small mom-and-pop shops like Polish G.I. Delicatessen have closed in the East Village and elsewhere thanks to rising storefront rents amid Manhattan's real estate boom. So many locally-owned businesses have been priced out of the neighborhood that community leaders are currently considering a proposal that would limit the number of chain stores that could open on an East Village block.

Lead image via Shutterstock.